Only a monopoly like Metra could get away with what Metra invented and calls a train waiting around on the tracks a scheduled delay.
Every day on many of their train schedules, Metra trains wait for other Metra trains to clear the tracks. This is because in some areas that Metra services there are only single tracks leading to and from those areas. It just doesn't seem right that there is something called a scheduled delay. Back when they scheduled trains to leave and arrived at a certain times how about holding back a train a few more minutes at the starting station so there is never a delay.
A few minutes a day delay isn't such a bad thing, but when I think of those people who have been taking the train most of their lives those minutes are now counted by wasted hours.
Free WiFi
There is a train system in Oregon that has free wifi for its riders. Trimet Rail Line in Oregon
Check it out Metra, how about it!
Check it out Metra, how about it!
Tickets From Metrarail.com
Ordered tickets online at http://www.metrarail.com with my credit card and they came in 4 days.
This is so much better then the ticket by mail plan they had before where I had to give them all my bank info for a 10 ride and best of all, I will never have to stand at a ticket window again. Thank you Metra!
This is so much better then the ticket by mail plan they had before where I had to give them all my bank info for a 10 ride and best of all, I will never have to stand at a ticket window again. Thank you Metra!
Car vs Car
How much does a commuter train car cost? A Million or so? Then why is it that my $1,200 used Nissan has temperature controls that are far superior to those on a million dollar train car.
I have only asked twice in the 30 years that I've been taking the train, if the conductor could just turn off the air condition and on the other time to turn off the wind blowing fan. It was if I was asking for the world. I'm guessing that conductors hate when you ask about stuff like that.
I've always heard the same answer when I hear other people ask about the train car temperature, they say that the conductors have no control over the air condition or heaters. Then why are they constantly flipping switches in those small electronic closets under the stairs?
I've heard at times and this probably hear say that some of the guy conductors like to keep it real cold in the cars for their female viewing pleasure.
It just seems for a million bucks that there should be automatic temperature controls that keeps the temps at a constant comfortable degree that never needs to be touched by anybody.
I do follow the directions that the conductors give about temperature..... if you don't like the temps in a certain car find another car where the temperature is good for you.
I have only asked twice in the 30 years that I've been taking the train, if the conductor could just turn off the air condition and on the other time to turn off the wind blowing fan. It was if I was asking for the world. I'm guessing that conductors hate when you ask about stuff like that.
I've always heard the same answer when I hear other people ask about the train car temperature, they say that the conductors have no control over the air condition or heaters. Then why are they constantly flipping switches in those small electronic closets under the stairs?
I've heard at times and this probably hear say that some of the guy conductors like to keep it real cold in the cars for their female viewing pleasure.
It just seems for a million bucks that there should be automatic temperature controls that keeps the temps at a constant comfortable degree that never needs to be touched by anybody.
I do follow the directions that the conductors give about temperature..... if you don't like the temps in a certain car find another car where the temperature is good for you.
IPod Relief
Must be a full moon! 6am train & bus commute were hell this morning, guy on cell letting the whole car know about his life/divorce while another guy on the other side of the car was talking to a guy right next to him in a volume where everyone in the car could hear and he made sure he used the f word in every sentence. Talking about how F@*&ing great a trader he is and how the guy he was talking to isn't a good enough trader and he should step it up and follow how he works. It didn't end after getting off the train, it continued on the bus as a couple were spatting over something, don't know what about because I turned on my ipod, loud. Thank you Steve Jobs for the ipod!
Metra's Quick Schedule?
Metra's new website is up and it's great that you can now buy tickets online with a credit card. Hooray!!!!!
One thing that is missing from their new site is the quick schedule drop down menu that worked so well on their old site. Now it takes either 5 clicks if you want to find a schedule for a specific train line and time or 3 clicks from the home page to download the pdf schedule. Metra, please bring back the quick schedule drop down schedule, it was so nice and fast and easy.
One thing that is missing from their new site is the quick schedule drop down menu that worked so well on their old site. Now it takes either 5 clicks if you want to find a schedule for a specific train line and time or 3 clicks from the home page to download the pdf schedule. Metra, please bring back the quick schedule drop down schedule, it was so nice and fast and easy.
No Power
Have you ever wondered why the newer train cars have reading lights when they have florescent lights on all the time? I decided I would see how well these reading lights worked. Maybe they are some kind of wonder bulb that works well combined with other lights. Nope! They don’t even work. Why even install something like this?
Here is an idea, how about switching out the light and the light switch and install an electric outlet. There are many occasions when commuters forget to juice up their electronics before hopping on the train. Many commuters have a hour and a half commute home and many times their laptops run out of juice and a outlet would be a great thing to have. Oh wait, those reading lights are just for show and don't have any power to them..... what a waste!
CUSTOMER SERVICE! Metra try giving it sometime, it's good for business!
Here is an idea, how about switching out the light and the light switch and install an electric outlet. There are many occasions when commuters forget to juice up their electronics before hopping on the train. Many commuters have a hour and a half commute home and many times their laptops run out of juice and a outlet would be a great thing to have. Oh wait, those reading lights are just for show and don't have any power to them..... what a waste!
CUSTOMER SERVICE! Metra try giving it sometime, it's good for business!
Conductor puts passengers in DANGER ON THE 5:50
UPDATE: I spoke to soon about the one conductor opening up the cars early, he is back and still putting the passengers in harms way.
I've noticed that every day on the platform where the 5:50pm train leaves from, hundreds of people crowd in front of the doors, just waiting and waiting, while it gets more and more crowed as it gets to be 5 to 10 minutes before the train leaves, then finally the doors open, then hundreds of passengers start rushing, pushing and cutting in front of each other while hurrying to get a good seat. That's not even the dangerous part, the danger comes from all those people being on the platform where the amount of passengers is more then the platform should hold. people are so crowded that they have to step down onto the tracks to get around people that are standing and waiting for the conductor to get done with his slow moving ,check out each car routine. Only one time did I see another train pull into the other side tracks while it was this crowed and I was so scared watching as people were so close to the side of this incoming train, I was sure someone was going to be run over.
A solution already presented itself when the regular conductors were on vacation. The filling in young conductors opened the 5:50 doors right when the train arrived at around 4:35 where there were hardly any people waiting and these conductors checked the cars while these few people were sitting in their seats. Then the regular conductors came back after a week and the dangerous routine started right back up.
Hopefully nobody will get run over, but if someone does, don't say I didn't warn you.
I've noticed that every day on the platform where the 5:50pm train leaves from, hundreds of people crowd in front of the doors, just waiting and waiting, while it gets more and more crowed as it gets to be 5 to 10 minutes before the train leaves, then finally the doors open, then hundreds of passengers start rushing, pushing and cutting in front of each other while hurrying to get a good seat. That's not even the dangerous part, the danger comes from all those people being on the platform where the amount of passengers is more then the platform should hold. people are so crowded that they have to step down onto the tracks to get around people that are standing and waiting for the conductor to get done with his slow moving ,check out each car routine. Only one time did I see another train pull into the other side tracks while it was this crowed and I was so scared watching as people were so close to the side of this incoming train, I was sure someone was going to be run over.
A solution already presented itself when the regular conductors were on vacation. The filling in young conductors opened the 5:50 doors right when the train arrived at around 4:35 where there were hardly any people waiting and these conductors checked the cars while these few people were sitting in their seats. Then the regular conductors came back after a week and the dangerous routine started right back up.
Hopefully nobody will get run over, but if someone does, don't say I didn't warn you.
Sorry for the Delay, Metra apologizes for any inconvenience
I think that more then 80% of the delays are said to be caused by signal problems. At least that is what the PA system on the train always tells us. That's just amazing to me that in 2009 Metra can't figure out a way with all the electronic advancements, they can't find some way to run their signals with next to no problems. Hey maybe get a airline traffic controller to take over. Airplanes can fly anywhere and almost never hit each other. Trains run on a permanent placed track, that only cross each other now and then. Heck, airline traffic controllers would probably find train traffic a walk in the park, meaning easy.
Oh wait Metra doesn't need to improve anything because they are a monopoly.
Oh wait Metra doesn't need to improve anything because they are a monopoly.
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